Detective Sergeant Matt Banks, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘Smith is a violent, sexually aggressive, controlling man who overpowered these women and subjected them to horrendous ordeals."

This bowl was expected to fetch £200,000 at auction Credit: ITV Meridian

A rare Chinese bowl has failed to sell at auction in Canterbury, despite its identical twin selling for nearly £200,000. The matching Imperial Chinese bowl was part of a collection formerly owned by a businessman from Charing.

The first bowl in a presentation pack Credit: The Canterbury Auction Galleries

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A retired businessman has found the twin to a rare Chinese bowl which fetched almost two hundred thousands pounds at auction. The second bowl could go for the same amount when it goes under the hammer in Canterbury next week.

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Kent Police have spent the day examining the scene of a fatal car crash in which two young people died. The Ford Fiesta they were travelling in left the carriageway of the A20 between Ashford and Maidstone on the evening of Saturday 29th December, and hit a tree.

The incident happened on the Maidstone-bound side of the A20 Ashford Road near Charing Crematorium. A passing motorist saw the vehicle just after 10 pm and reported it.

The driver was a 17-year-old woman from the Ashford area. Her passenger was a 20-year-old man from the Maidstone area. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. Their families have been informed.

The Maidstone-bound side of the A20 was closed until 2 am on Sunday 30th December while officers investigated the collision and carried out recovery work.

Police would like to hear from anyone witnesses, or anyone who may have the seen the car in the area before the accident occurred. The witness appeal line telephone number is 01622 798538.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 43-year-old man was injured as he tried to prevent thieves from stealing his van near his home in Rye.

The victim was told men were trying to break into his Toyota Hilux van in Rye Harbour Road just before midnight on Saturday, 11th August.

He went out to investigate and was confronted by men, who drove at him with their dark coloured car. He jumped out of the way and was shot at with an air rifle suffering injuries to his face. The callous thieves then towed away his van, which has an Environment Agency sign on it, and made off.

This was a violent attack and we are doing all we can to trace these men. The van was found just over an hour later in Charing, Kent, and it is being forensically examined. The victim is being treated for pellet wounds to his face and we will be talking to him to get as much information as possible. Extensive enquiries are being made and I would urge anyone with information to contact detectives on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

– Detective Inspector Hannah Willard, Sussex Police

The victim is being treated for his injuries at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and his condition is stable.